


Bring Me Back To Life

by phandomoftheowl



Category: Mahabharata - Vyasa, Star Plus Mahabharat, महाभारत | Mahabharat (TV 2013)
Genre: Brotp, Friendship, Gen, gen - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-10
Updated: 2014-04-10
Packaged: 2018-01-18 21:49:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1444117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phandomoftheowl/pseuds/phandomoftheowl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Draupadi doesn't prostrate herself at anyone's feet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bring Me Back To Life

A small part of her told her she was being childish, being petulant, and not at all like the empress she was. But she felt like a child, she felt like being petulant, and as far as everyone else was concerned, she was no longer an empress. She told her servants to leave her, told the guards to abandon their posts. They had nothing left to protect. What was the point in having guards stationed at her door when her own husbands, the Aryaputra themselves could not protect her?

Panchali had no tears left. Her chest heaved with dry sobs, breathing felt unreasonably difficult. For a single moment she remembered Kunti's arms wrapped around her, remembered how for once she had felt secure. Hadn't felt raw and exposed like she had every day since she walked out of the fire. A mother's love was something she had often read about in books, heard of from her  _dasi_ and Subhadra. Fire born children didn't have mothers, so Draupadi hadn't know what that kind of security and love felt like. 

The only other person who had made her feel that way was Govind. 

Govind, her friend.

Govind, to whom she had entrusted herself.

Govind, who had proved he had never left her side, despite being leagues away. 

 _Govind_.

"I'm here,  _Sakhi."_

For a second, Draupadi wondered if she had finally lost her mind, delusion taking over due to grief. She turned toward the doors, telling herself that it was foolish to expect him to be here. The distance between Dwarka and Indraprastha was not a small one. But no, there he was, framed by the ornate doorway, shining and golden as ever. 

"Govind?" 

"Yes,  _Sakhi."_

Krishnaa walked towards him, as steady as one could be after not eating or sleeping or drinking anything for two days. She almost collapsed at his feet, but he held her firmly by her shoulders. 

"Govind, I --" There were no words to explain the turmoil within her. Perhaps there was no language on this planet that could help explain her roiling emotions. 

Govind nodded, smiling. Had it been anyone else, even her husbands -- especially her husbands -- who smiled at her like that, she would have burned them. But this was Govind, and his smile was not patronizing or pitying. 

That half-smile of his, part reassurance and part fondness, with an undercurrent of something more, simmering constantly. She had always wondered what that was, and now she understood. It was simply...everything Draupadi needed in that moment. 

It was the smile that made it easier to breathe once more. 

The smile that told her it was not over yet, but soon. 

A smile that promised her everything she wanted, and more.

It was a smile that would stay with Yajnaseni throughout the next thirteen years. 


End file.
